Adroit Theory Brewing Company has released the second beer in a five-part series built around what it calls a shared apocalyptic future. This one is named for a specific casualty. The brewery cites the War Boys as its loose inspiration, and within them the character Morsov, a guardian of the War Rig who dies defending it - figures from the post-apocalyptic convoy of Mad Max: Fury Road.
The hop bill is where the beer separates itself from the rest of the brewery's hazy lineup. It is double dry-hopped with Mosaic, Citra and Zappa.
The first two need no introduction. Zappa does. It is one of the very few commercial hops bred from Humulus lupulus var. neomexicanus, a hop that grows wild in the American Southwest rather than descending from the European stock behind nearly everything else in a brewer's cold store. Named for the musician Frank Zappa, it tends to bring a savory, herbal streak - closer to mint and spice than to the citrus and tropical fruit its companions supply.
Putting it in a supporting role alongside Mosaic and Citra is a reasonable way to use it. Those two push hard toward stone fruit and passion fruit, and a wild-origin hop underneath them adds a dry, herbal edge that keeps the whole thing from reading as fruit juice.
Adroit Theory describes the series as characterized by intensely tropical fruit notes and very modest finishing bitterness. For this release the brewery lists stone fruit, melon and passion fruit from start to finish, held in what it calls a semi-sweet, pillowy body.
The Death of Civilization In Slow Motion II. is available now at the Purcellville taproom on draft and in cans, with 3.5 cases packaged.
Source & Editorial
JollyPint independently prepares release articles using information published by breweries through newsletters, websites, and other official public communications. Brewery-supplied descriptions and tasting notes are reported as provided, while editorial context is added by JollyPint.